Here's why Facebook's chatbots may not be good news for you

At a time when businesses are obsessed with improving the customer experience, Facebook Messenger chatbots have played a significant role in making chat-based services a mainstream.IANS | September 05, 2016, 16:10 IST

NEW YORK: At a time when businesses are obsessed with improving the customer experience, Facebook Messengerchatbots have played a significant role in making chat-based services a mainstream. But this comes at the risk of your privacy.

Chatbot have been around for almost 20 years now and undoubtedly this technology will be transformative, but according to tech website Venture Beat, businesses which are switching to Messenger for all service interactions will soon regret that decision.

If people want to get the tracking information of their orders online, chatbots are a perfect solution for a successful communication, but the story is not same when it comes to sensitive data like bank account information or insurance company details.

"Conversations with these businesses can be complex, emotionally-driven and often require sensitive and personal information to pass between the two parties. Consumers of these organisations need frequent and ongoing interaction," the report noted.

The need of privacy and security for such communication and transactions is high and Facebook as the primary platform for this won't work as more than half of adults do not trust Facebook with their data.

Another reason for Messenger chatbot failure is the desire of businesses of owning the data.

When hopping to Messenger to take advantage of the new technology, businesses have to share the exclusive data with the social media giant.

But companies have started realising that by giving away the vital proprietary data and information, they are also giving up control of the customer.

"Facebook openly says it is using the data flowing through its Messenger for Business platform, companies using it would be right to enter that relationship with scepticism," the report said.

With that data in the hands of the company selling ads to your competitors, the result could be detrimental, the report noted.